Truss-support for rail-joints.



L. MUELLERu TRUSS SUPPORT FOB. RAIL JOINTS.

A APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 26, 1908. v y 91 9,61 7 Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

LOUIS MUELLER, OF OWOSSO, MlClllbAi.

CURTISS-SUPPORT FOR RAIL-JOINTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 27', 1909.

Application filed October 26, 1908. Serial No. 459,519.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Louis MUELLER, a citizen .of the United States,residing at Owosso, in the county of Shiawassee, State of Michigan,vhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Truss-Supports forRail-Joints; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and `use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the 'figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of specification.

This invention relates to a truss support for rail joints, moreexpressly designed for effecting .a compromise joint between the ends ofrailway rails of different cross sec tion, and consists in theconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forthand pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a joint of the .characterdescribed of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction, whereinthe arrangement is suoli as to afford a yfirm support for the meetingends of rails of dierent transverse section,y and at the same timeprovide for carrying the wave motion of the rails through said joint andobviate wheel blows on the heads of the rail ends by maintaining aperfect surface between the heads ofthe rails ,at the joint.

The above object is attained by the structure illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of oneside of a rail joint showing the application of my invention. Fig. 2 isa transverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transversesection on line 3-3 of Fig. l. Fig, 4 is a longitudinal section throughone margin of the trussed joint-plate, and a transverse section throughone end of the block resting thereon which receives the base of therails at their ends, the ends of the ties on each side of the joint andthe transverse bolts passing through the web of the rails, appearing insection.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates the truss platefor the rail joint, the central portion of which between the ties 2 isdepressed, or curved downwardly, as shown, to form a support for thebearing block 3 which rests u on and extends transversely of the centraportion of said plate,

and is provided with terminal [langes 4 at its ends which embrace themargins of said plate to prevent transverse movement of the bearingblock thereon. The end of the narrow or light rail 5 rests upon theupper face 6 of the block 3, while the end of the wide or heavy rail 7rests upon a step S formed in the face of said block, as clearly shownin Fig. 4l, the end terminals of the face of the block and of said step,being provided with vertical flanges 9 and 10 respectivelyr whichembrace the opposite edges of the base of said. rails toassist inmaintaining the joined ends of the rails in perfect alinement. Thevheight of the bearing block 3 above the surface of the step vScompensates for the difference in the cross section of the rails, andsupports the end of the light rail 5 in a manner to maintain a perfectsurface between the rail ends and effect a practical continuity of therail through the joint.

T o provide for supporting the light rail at the point where it crossesthe tie and near its end, the rail joint-plate at the end which restsupon said tie and receives the base el' the light rail, is madesufficiently thick, as shown at 11, to support the base ol' the rail inalineinent with the top 6 of the block 8. Bolted to the opposite sidesof the rails at the oint by the `transverse bolts 12, are the angle bars13 which extend onto and partially embrace the base of said rails. baidangle bars are notched at the center to `fit the step in the block 3,and at their ends are provided with the laterally extending flanges 14having spike slots 15 therein which register with like slots in themargins of the end portions of the truss-plate, enabling the spikes 16to be driven into the ties through said flanges of the angle bars andthrough the end portions of the truss-plate to anchor said parts to theties, and at the same time iirmly join the terminals oi' the angle barsand the truss-plate.

Formed at the terminals of the truss-plate on each side of the rails arethe lugs or shoulders 17 which engage the ends of the angle bars,whereby the tendency of the ends of the truss plate to draw togetherwhen the heavy weight is applied at the center thereof, is resisted bysaid ugs and the strain of the weight at the center ol' the truss-plateis applied to the opposite ends of the angle bars, thereby effecting aperfect truss for the support of the rails at the joint.

This arrangement provides a suspension joint in the form oi a trusswhich carries the load between the ties, and which, while affording aperfect surface between the rails at the joint, is suiiciently flexibleto maintain the wave movement of the rail through said joint practicallythe same as along an unbroken rail, insuring stability as well asiiexibility at the oint, at the same time preventing a deflection in theend of the trailing rail and a consequent blow on the head oi' thefacing rail by the passing wheels, resulting in a saving of labor inmaintenance, a prolongation oi' the li'l'e of the rails and making asmoother riding track.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what l claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, iszl. ln a truss support for rail joints,the combination with the meeting ends oi the rails oi differenttransverse section, of the angle bars embracing said ends, a trussplatemounted upon the ties and supporting the rails and angle bars, saidtruss-plate having a depressed central portion and an end portion ofincreased thickness lying under the lighter of said rails, a blockinterposed between the depressed portion of the truss-plate and thejoint of the rails supporting the ends oi' the latter', said blockhaving two bearing surfaces in different planes to compensate for thedifference in the height of the rails, and bolts passing through theangle bars and through the web of the rails to secure said partstogether.

2. In a compensating truss support for rail joints, the combination withthe rails of different transverse section, oi' the angle bars crossingthe joint between the rail ends and bolted to the rails, a truss-plat-ehaving terminal portions lying under and supporting the rail sectionsand a depressed central portion, a block carried by said depressedcentral portion having bearing faces in different planes which receiveand'supporttlie meeting ends of the rails, and means eiiecting anengagement between the terminals of said trusslate and the end portionsof said angle ars.

3. ln a compensating truss support for rail oints, the combination withthe ends of rails of dierent transverse section, of angle bars crossingthe joint between said rails and bolted thereto, a 'truss-plate havingterminals resting on the ties and supporting the base of the railsections, one of said terminals being relatively thick to compensate forthe diiiierence in the height of the rails, the central portion of thetruss-plate being depressed between the ties, a bearing block carried bysaid depressed portion having supporting l'aces in different planeswhich receive the meeting ends of said rails, means for tying the anglebars and the truss-plate together at their margins, and means i'orimparting the longitudinal stress upon the trusslate to the ends ot' theangle bars.

4. in a truss support for rail joints, the combination with the rails ofdifferent transverse section, of a truss-plate lying under andsupporting said rails near their ends, angle bars crossing the joint ofthe rails and bolted thereto, the central portion of the trussplatebeing depressed below the joint, and a bearing block carried by thedepressed portion of said plate having supporting faces in differentplanes which receive the ends of said rails.

ln testimony whereof, l sign this speciiication in the presence of twowitnesses.

LOUIS MUELLER.

Witnesses CHAs. L. MUELLER, L. A. SANDERHOFF.

